Superior Essex Communications is expanding its fiber capabilities to include pre-terminated products and bulk cable sold through a direct commercial model, with an initial focus on the data center market. The General Manager, Assembly Business will lead the launch and development of this new venture, with overall accountability for translating the strategy into a scalable, market-facing business.
Working through direct reports and cross-functional partners, this leader will establish the business strategy, drive new product introduction, build commercial and operating capabilities, develop key partnerships, and manage execution against defined milestones and performance measures. Reporting directly to the Chief Strategy Officer, the role has high visibility across the business and will serve as the primary external representative for this new business area.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Strategy & Business Development: Define the overall strategy for the Assembly Business, including market priorities, business objectives, targets, investment requirements, and execution milestones.
- Business Launch & Execution: Lead the end-to-end launch of the venture. Align business leaders, functional heads, direct team members, and external partners around clear priorities, deliverables, ownership, and timelines.
- New Product Introduction: Lead the introduction of pre-terminated products to the market, coordinating commercial, operational, product, and other cross-functional activities required for a successful launch.
- Commercial Growth & Go-to-Market Strategy: Define and execute a direct sales model targeting the data center market, encompassing both pre-terminated assemblies and bulk cable. Build and deepen relationships with data center operators and other key end users to establish a sustainable, repeatable pipeline and a strong market position.
- Operating Model & Partnerships: Develop and manage external business partnerships, including contract manufacturing relationships with assembly houses, while defining the appropriate long-term operating model for the business.
- Capability & Investment Build-Out: Oversee the organic investment and development of internal assembly capabilities within Superior Essex Communications, balancing speed to market, customer requirements, scalability, and business economics.
- Performance Management: Establish and monitor business KPIs, execution plans, and milestone performance across the functions supporting the venture. Identify gaps early and drive corrective actions.
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Build strong working relationships across the organization and create clear accountability among the functions supporting the Assembly Business.
- Change Leadership: Champion the organizational changes required to establish and scale the new business, building alignment, adoption, and commitment across key stakeholders.
REQUIREMENTS:
The successful candidate should combine entrepreneurial business-building capability with disciplined execution and the ability to lead across functions. Recommended qualifications include:
- Demonstrated leadership experience building, launching, scaling, or transforming a business, product line, or commercial operation.
- Strong strategic and commercial judgment with the ability to translate market opportunities into executable business plans.
- Experience leading cross-functional initiatives with accountability for results, milestones, and performance metrics.
- Strong customer-facing skills and credibility developing relationships with end users, channel partners, suppliers, and other external stakeholders.
- Experience selling directly into the data center or hyperscale infrastructure market, ideally with both cable and connectivity/assembly products.
- Experience designing or leading a direct sales motion, as distinct from managing a channel or distributor network.
- Experience evaluating and managing external manufacturing, supply, or strategic partnerships; assembly or contract-manufacturing experience is a plus.
- Ability to operate effectively in an entrepreneurial environment while leveraging the capabilities and processes of a larger organization.
- Strong financial and operational acumen, including business-case development, investment prioritization, KPI management, and performance tracking.
- Wire and cable experience required.
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or equivalent relevant experience preferred.
